Horseshoe
by timoton
Summary: Jack is in seriously debt and the only was to make the money - HorseRacing. Now read about Jack's amazing adventure about how far he'll go to win this race. Chapter 2 is now up: Journey to Misty Village. Please read and review.
1. In Debt

Horseshoe

Chapter 1

It was a hot spring day the sun was blazing overhead. Jack took grasp of his hoe and with great power plunged in into the earth tilling the soil. Jack wiped the pouring sweat off his forehead and swung his hoe at the field once more. He pulled out a bag of turnip seeds and placed them into each of the holes. Today he was carefree not knowing that this was the start of one of the biggest adventure of is life.

6:03 A.M., Spring 23

"Where am I? Why am I moving so fast? Am I on a car or a train? No, I'm holding something… A rope or a string? And why is it so foggy? Why do I feel wet? Why am I…"

RING! Jack suddenly sprung up in the air and clicked off his alarm clock. He got up and slowly walked to his restroom mumbling to himself. "What an odd dream…" He brushed his teeth and got changed quickly. Then he turned around and stared at the calendar.

"Spring 23, taxes are coming." Jack said and grabbed his backpack. He slowly stepped outside and began work. He watered his plants, milked his cows, collected eggs, and did all his other regular chores. At eight o'clock he sat down and had a piece of toast and he was off plowing his fields again.

"Morning Jack, your mails here." Harris yelled and placed them in Jack's mailbox.

Jack dropped his plow and walked over to his mailbox. He reached in gentle and pulled out a stack of mail. "Let's see what we got here… Advertisements… Trash… And of course, bills."

Jack ripped open his bills and started to read. "You're joking right! $20000 for water! $41500 for electric! $75000 for the house!" Jack screamed out loud. He went on and on until he was finished.

"So in total I have to pay… A little over one million gold! You have to be kidding me! I don't even have that kind of money! I don't even know how I racked up these kinds of bills. Oh god what can I do? Okay lets think… I can sell some of my livestock, but that wont net me enough gold soon enough. And I can't handle to water any more crops! I could always take a loan from one of the villagers, but who would let me borrow half a million if anybody even has that much in this village to spare! I need to think harder, they're due on Fall 23 at latest and I need to mail them on Fall 20 or earlier if I want the money to make it there on time."

Jack walked around pondering to himself about how to get the money for a few minutes until he finally thought of an idea. "Well, I could sell this farm and all that's in it. But I don't feel right about doing so… Ah forget about it! For now I might as well enjoy what I have!"

Jack locked up and left into town. Jack still wondering what to do entered Doug's Inn and walked up to the counter.

"Hello Jack what will you be having today?" Doug asked a smile across his face.

"I'll take a number three with a small milk for here please."

"Coming right up! You're number is 15."

"Thank you." Jack said and sat down at the closest table around. "What to do what to do? I can't sell the farm it means too much to me and I'll be letting my family down. But what other chance do I have? There's no way I can make that kind of money so soon."

"Number 12 please." Doug said.

"This is so confusing. Lets see, counting today I still have about 57 days to make the money. But if I can manage to make the money…"

"Numbers 13 and 14 please!"

"I'll be saved. But the likeness of me making that kind of money without selling my farm or the house."

"Number 15 is ready!" Doug screamed and Jack immediately got up and grabbed the tray from Doug. Jack sat down again and started to eat his salad. After a few minutes he finished his meal and gulped down the last of his drink. Then suddenly, a sign on the tray caught his eye:

Doug's Inn is sponsored by the Horse Race in Zodiac Village. On Fall 18 the World Wide Horse Race will be held in Zodiac town! The champion will receive $100,000 and will be declared the Horse Racing Champion! Auditions will be held in Zodiac Town on Fall 5th and will cost only $10000 to try out! For more information visit our website or call our number now!

"Dang! Only 100000 gold, too bad." Jack said to himself and suddenly something caught his eye again:

Guest members can bet up to 10000 gold on only one player and if that player wins the guest will get that gold in double! Participants can bet on themselves only but they can wager up to one million dollars!

"Oh my god! If I enter and bet everything I have on myself… I'll have enough money and if I win… I could become a legend and keep this farm! But I don't have a horse and if I don't win… All of this practice would go to waste and I'll be in a bigger hole than before with less time and 10000 less gold. Well, I guess I'm going to have to take that risk. No matter the odds I'll win this game! Lets all hope Barley has an extra horse to spare."

Jack dumped his meal in the trash and ran off to Barley's house. Jack pushed open the door to Barley's farm and came to the counter.

"What's up Barley? I need to buy something."

"Good morning Jack, anything you need just name it."

"Well I just heard about a horse race in Zodiac Town and I wanted to enter and I need to buy a horse so do you have one I can buy off of you?"

"Unfortunately I haven't had a horse I years. I'm sorry I can't help but you can always go to another town to buy it."

"You think Zodiac Town would have a horse?"

"With the contest in that town I doubt it. But I think I might know another place you can buy your horse."

"Tell me which!"

"Misty Village."

Coming Soon

Horseshoe Chapter 2 : "Journey to Misty Village"

If Jack does get a Horse, what should it be named?

You decide.


	2. Journey to Misty Village

Chapter 2

Journey to Misty Village

"Well I just heard about a horse race in Zodiac Town and I wanted to enter and I need to buy a horse so do you have one I can buy off of you?"

"Unfortunately I haven't had a horse I years. I'm sorry I can't help but you can always go to another town to buy it."

"You think Zodiac Town would have a horse?"

"With the contest in that town I doubt it. But I think I might know another place you can buy your horse."

"Tell me which!"

"Misty Village."

"Misty Village? I never heard of it."

"It's a very small village in the middle of nowhere; I doubt anyone in Mineral Town has heard of it."

"But that doesn't matter! So where is it anyways?"

"It near Powan Mountains, you'll need to take a train if you want to reach Misty Village in a day or two. But there might be a few things you should take into mind before going though…"

"Yeah like what?"

"Well… First you'll have to buy the train tickets which will cost a hefty amount of cash. Next you will have to actually find a farm carrying horses for sale. And then you will have to buy a horse which I have heard can cost a lot of money."

"No matter the cost I have to win this race."

"Well that's just it! You'll need 10,000 gold entry fee and then you will have to ask Gotz to build you a hut which will also cost a lot of money. And considering the horse, it will need a lot of fodder, water, and care."

"I never thought of that…"

"Oh and how are you supposed to get that horse on the train?"

"You are seriously putting me down right now. But you're right, thanks Barley."

"Goodbye Jack."

Jack slowly walked back to his farm and unlocked his door slowly. He felt the cold doorknob pressing against his hand. He slowly pushed the door opened and shut the door behind him and sat on his bed.

"How am I supposed to get a horse and win this race with all these things to take into consideration? There has to be a way, there has to be a way… Unless I stay at a hotel in Misty Village and ride my horse home. Man I'm an idiot. Where will the horse stay and what will I eat for the journey, wild grass? God I need to find a loophole."

Jack got out of his bed and pushed the door open with his shoulder. He grabbed his sickle and started to cut down weeds. While he was working on the fields, his anger and sadness grew inside of him and after an hour he dropped his sickle.

"I just don't feel like working today… Maybe I should head for bed. But it's only 1:32. What should I do now? I just can't find a solution. Eh, I should get back to work."

Days passed and Jack's worries grew bigger and bigger until his life was token over by his own fears. He would spend more times with his animals and his farm. His social life suffered and once he worked so hard he collapsed in the field. Obviously he knew that this fear was taking over his mind and would soon drive him insane. He would scream with fear at night and he would constantly take breaks to calm himself down. He knew that this was growing into a huge problem and it had to be stopped before it was too late…

3:47 P.M.; Spring 28

Jack threw his hoe onto the field and locked up; he looked back at his farm and slowly made his way into town.

"What's wrong with me? I know it's not a huge problem but it's taking over my entire life. The only way I can stop it from spreading is to get the money I need. And the only way to get the money is to win that horse race. I guess I'll have to find a way to get my horse from Misty Village to Mineral Town. But forget about that, I have to get started!"

Jack ran off sprinting through town until he finally stopped at the local supermarket. Jack pushed open the door and stepped inside. A bell rang and Jeff turned around and welcomed Jack in.

"Good evening Jack how may I be of assistance?"

"Oh, good evening. I just stopped by here to see if I could purchase a ticket to Misty Village."

"Misty Village? I've never heard of it, and we don't sell any plane or transportation tickets here."

"Oh, thanks anyways. I'll be on my way."

"Hey! If you want to purchase tickets, ask Won. He'll probably have some in stock, you know Won."

"Thank you."

Jack left the building and ran towards the beach. Then suddenly he bumped into someone.

"Ah! I'm sorry are you okay?" Jack said and reached his arm out.

"Hmm? Oh yea I'm fine." The person said and got up.

Jack looked at the person standing in front of him a little surprised.

"You're a new face around here aren't you?"

"Oh yea, I just came here to pick up some- Shoot! My train leaves in a few minutes, catch you later!" The person yelled and ran off.

"A man with blue jeans, brown sweater, cowboy boots, and a hat. I wonder why someone would come here. Anyways I have to get going."

Jack ran past the beach feeling the cold ocean breeze blow past him and he opened the door to Won's shop.

"Who's there?" Won asked from behind the counter.

"It's me, Jack."

"Jack come on in boy. Now what are you here for?"

"Well I was wondering if you sold train tickets."

"Of course I sell train tickets boy! Now to where are you going?"

"Misty Village."

"Ha! You must be joking! Why would you want to go to such a pathetic place like that?"

"Well I need to buy a horse for a race but forget that, do you have the tickets or not?"

"Ah let me check." Won said and started flipping through some files.

"I found it, here are the possible schedules." Won said and pulled out a small list.

"Well the nearest time is… On Summer 1. I guess that'll be alright. How much?"

"For you, 75 k."

"What! 75 k for a puny little trip!"

"Ha! I was just playing with you! 35 K would do fine."

"That's still a bit too much, how about 15 k?"

"Hm… No. The lowest I'm going is 35 k got it?"

"Eh… Fine, let me right a check."

"Nice doing business with you."

Jack handed the check to Won and Jack grabbed the ticket. Jack pushed open the door and stuffed the tickets in his pocket.

"Now only one last thing to do…"

COMING SOON

Horseshoe Chapter 3

Next Destination: Misty Village


End file.
